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The San Joaquin Valley is one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions and home to an incredibly diverse collection of 4 million Californians. Almost any commodity can be grown in the Valley’s rich soil and farming is the leading economic driver, generating billions of dollars in sales every year.

But despite the region’s importance, too often the Valley gets a bad rap as many outsiders and residents alike focus on problems that also plague other parts of the Golden State.

Vickie Goudreau wants to change that perception and focus on the things that make the Valley special. That’s why last year she and a group of dedicated volunteers launched The Whole Vine Festival on the campus of California State University, Fresno. The second festival is set for October 19 and 20, and she promises it will be bigger and better this year.

“We have the opportunity to embrace the region and fully enjoy it,” she said. “My hope is that through the festival and other initiatives, we have a chance to pause from the negativity and get a sense of this is us, this is where we live. People who have the skill set to deal with issues like air quality will figure things out. What I can do is create a festival that allows people to come together and enjoy hearing some wonderful things about the Central Valley.”

This year’s festival is billed as a weekend-long event that celebrates the culture and flavor of the San Joaquin Valley’s grape, raisin and wine industries. Growers from Modesto to Bakersfield are donating grapes and raisins, and events will include a food truck competition for creating dishes that use table grapes, local musicians performing a wide variety of styles, wine tasting from Valley winemakers, a kid’s zone with ag-related activities, shopping and fine art displays from Valley artists. Admission and parking will again be free.

Farm Credit continues its strong support for the festival, serving as a leading sponsor once again this year. This commitment reflects Farm Credit’s deep-rooted presence in the San Joaquin Valley, said Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit.

“We live and work here in the Central Valley, so we understand the unique value this region holds,” said Hesterberg. “We are proud to support The Whole Vine Festival because it offers the community a fun, engaging way to learn about the vital role the table grape, raisin grape, and wine grape industries play in our area, and showcases the many ways these crops enrich our lives.”

Kevin Ralph, California State President for AgWest Farm Credit, agreed.

“We were proud to have helped launch the festival last year and look forward to a great event this year.” Ralph noted. “Besides providing a fun experience, attendees will also be reminded of the importance of agriculture in the Valley and the challenges farmers face. Now more than ever, this story needs to be told.”

Farm Credit organizations supporting The Whole Vine are AgWest Farm Credit, CoBank and Fresno Madera Farm Credit. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

The seeds of the festival started several years ago when Goudreau was driving up and down the Valley for business.

“I began to notice there were grapevines all around the valley, and I thought we could use that as a theme – grapevines as an allegory for life,” she said.

Eventually, the idea of a valley-wide festival for all ages jelled. Last year, Goudreau and the other volunteers decided it was time to launch that celebration. With the encouragement of Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, the team decided to hold the event last year on campus. Due in part to insufficient advertising, the free event drew about 2,000 people – less than half of what the organizers had hoped for.

But this year organizers have launched an energetic marketing campaign and expect to piggyback off two events planned on campus adjacent to where the festival will take place. The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology is hosting an open house on Saturday morning featuring family-friendly activities, campus farm and winery tours and other demonstrations, while the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band is hosting the Sierra Cup Classic field show competition for 10 Valley high school bands.

For more information, visit the festival's website https://thewholevine.com

About the Whole Vine Festival

The second-annual Whole Vine Festival will be held at Fresno State on October 19 & 20. Our mission is to celebrate all things related to table grapes, raisins, and wine produced in the San Joaquin Valley, as well as to raise the worth of the Valley in the hearts and minds of its people. For more information, visit https://thewholevine.com